The magnetic field structure of the Small Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

AbstractWe describe two studies of the interstellar magnetic field in regions of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), including those affected by the interaction with the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We use optical polarization data from aligned grains in the interstellar medium of the SMC in order to map the sky-projected direction of the magnetic field and determine characteristics of the SMC and Pan-Magellanic field structures. The earlier, photoelectric data are reanalyzed and they provide values for the average projected magnetic field intensity (1.7 × 10−6G) and the random field component intensity (3.5 × 10−6G). Another on-going program uses imaging data and, when concluded, will allow more local estimates of the field intensity in the SMC NE/Wing regions. Additional goals include cross-correlating our field mapping results with those of point sources and structures found by the Spitzer Space Telescope in the SMC between 3.6 and 8 μm.